Dark Souls 2
DS2 DLC DS2 Characters Heid The Kingdom of Heid was a nation whose majority resided alongside the sea. *The Heid Old Knights' armour has since long rusted due to its age and sea salt air. Despite the fall of their kingdom, they stand ready to defend the ruins. Their armour is still clunged together by the old magic that has remained within. *Disgraced Heid Knights continue to patrol the ruins of Heid, while most of those have since set out onto their own journeys, homeless. These knights are known for their worship of the sun. *Dragonriders are faithful servants of King Vendrick who rode into battle while mounted atop wyrms after a difficult trial to prove their worth, only accepting those capable of passing perilous trials. Despite their name, they ride wingless draconic beasts and frequently acted as their king's personal bodyguard. *Ruin Unit is a group of knights who were sent to find the Ringed City Vikings The Varangians come from a northern continent that is home to abominations, the sheer hostility of their homeland made them into excellent soldiers. Since the time of the Old Iron King, they served as mercenaries for nobility or raided the coasts as pirates. But no amount of physical strength can stave off the curse. Other *Long, long ago, before Vendrick, before Drangleic, there were two kingdoms locked in hostility. By some chance, a prince and princess from the kingdoms fell in love. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, and they built two great bell towers to symbolize their grief. The kingdoms have fallen, their names are forgotten, but the bell towers and their guardians still stand. The Bellkeepers have grown into suicidal sadists as the years went by. Originally, they were supposed to ward off people from ever stepping foot within the bell-tower. But by the time you find them, they are positively giddy at the thought of someone trespassing into the tower, entirely since then they would be able to butcher and slice up said trespasser. They don't even lock the door. Other than their tiny stature, Bellkeepers look exactly like human beings, but are described as "dolls" animated to defend the bell towers. Iron King *Harvest Valley was the source of the Iron King's iron, until Brume Tower supplanted it. The old smiths and miners of the valley would have been of no more use, had the queen not found a new use for them in her poison pits. Heavily hollowed but still as strong as ever, the Undead Blacksmiths are living proof that technique means nothing in the face of brute strength *Mounted Overseers ride atop gigantic monstrosities capable of exerting tremendous amount of dark power, weak overseers watch over the Labourers of Harvest Valley. The mounts have as much in common with demonic steeds as anything else humanoid. Without their overseer, the mounts are little more than mindless brutes. Without their mounts, the commanding hollows are no different from any other Hollow wandering the stage. But together, they form a formidable threat. *Desert Sorceress are underhanded Sorceresses of Jugo that have a history of luring men to their deaths through their great beauty and deadly pyromancies. So enchanting are their looks, that a shocking number of men fall for their seductions fully aware of their eventual fate. Beings so obsessed with beauty would naturally be drawn to the land of Mytha, who had been said to have unlocked the secret of eternal youth. *Manikin are advanced puppets who were given life by the Baneful Queen, and she uses them to lure unsuspecting fools into her traps. Once upon a time, the Manikins had heads, but the Queen ripped off their faces in a fit of rage. Watch yourself, or yours will be next. A fickle queen gave them life, and tore off their faces. How else could she forgive those who dared gaze upon her?The peculiar art of puppetry is a vestige of the two lost lands. A queen breathed life into these dolls with the very miasma that afflicted her poison-drenched bosom, so that she would have slaves to serve her temperamental will. *Mytha, the Baneful Queen was the fairest queen in all the land. Throughout the two kingdoms, none was more beautiful. Ever seeking the attentions of the King, she willingly poisoned herself in her eternal search for true beauty; she ultimately transformed into a monstrous snake-like creature. What passion fueled this change? Or is it a natural effect of the poison dredged up from the depths of the earth? To the point that poison heals her. *The Alonne Knights' loyalty to one another is the stuff of legends, and they held fast in their positions even as the once-great Iron Keep sank into the fiery earth. Named after the Iron King's closest ally, Sir Alonne. The blades they wield were forged by one of the true artisans entertained by the Iron King during his kingdom's heyday. *A mass of iron that came to life, the Smelter Demon was responsible for the fall of the Old Iron King and his castle. From the depths of the earth it sprang, and incinerated the short-sighted king in a single blow. While it initially appears to be the only one, there is another deep within the Brume Tower's Iron Passage. An older one, powered by magic rather than fire. It's a mass of iron that's been given a soul. Its face is a caved-in pit, similar to a Giant's. The lore descriptions on its items suggest that the Old Iron King might have created the Smelter Demon, rather than simply finding it *A powerful but short-sighted king who exalted the virtue of might, the Old Iron King has been transformed into a demon. As his flesh burned away, his soul was possessed by the wicked things that lurk below, becoming Ichorous Earth. Crown of the Old Iron King expands a bit on his history: he was once a minor lord who enfeebled himself after having spent all his resources on the barren kingdom of Venn. He would have been condemned to mediocrity had he not stumbled upon the service of Sir Alonne and the Scorching Iron Sceptre, which allowed him to mold iron freely. The symbol of his kingdom was the bull/minotaur. Both Iron Keep and Brume Tower are littered with cast iron mounted bull's head displays/busts and the occasional minotaur statue. He even commissioned a minotaur's head helmet, and if you look to where you came from at his boss arena, there's a gigantic bull's head that spouts flame from its nostrils (and contains a bonfire and switch to deactivate all the fire traps). Appropriate, considering how damn bull-headed he was to make something of his kingdom. The king greedily mined his own kingdom to ruin and snubbed his own queen in favor of another. It's also heavily implied that he hunted the Undead for sport and tortured them for kicks, given the close proximity of the Huntsman's Copse and the Undead Purgatory. Make no mistake, he deserved to be incinerated by the Smelter Demon. He was transformed into "Ichorous Earth", a humanoid demon with horns, bat-wings, and skin made out of volcanic rock. And you fight him in an area that couldn't be more at home in Hell. Regardless of how great the Old Iron King was before his death at the hands of the Smelter Demon, something possessed his corpse in the lava and turned him into the hideously powerful being known as Ichorous Earth. He can cover the whole field in fire with this, but uses it rarely. His obsession with power and might is his defining trait. He entertained himself with Undead hunting, molded huge iron structures and statues (some of them animated) just because he could, consequences be damned, and it's implied he tried to conquer life forces themselves, which resulted in Animated Armor Army of Ironclads and Iron Warriors. This culminated with him building a solid iron citadel so massive it sunk into the ground under its sheer weight (building it on heavily mined-out volcanic lands didn't help either) and possibly a creation of Smelter Demon(s), these events costing him his life and humanity and toppling his kingdom. The description of the Brume Tower key even mentions a legend where he tried to create a dragon made of iron. He mined enormous amounts of iron to build his castle. This awoke the Smelter Demon, and directly resulted in the king's demise, after which his corpse was revived as the monstrosity you fight. Started out as a minor noble stuck with nearly worthless land. Then he received two strokes of great luck: he became friends with the mighty Sir Alonne, and discovered an Iron Sceptre that allowed him to mine his land's rich mineral deposits. Eventually he became Drunk with Power, becoming a cruel tyrant who would reduce his own kingdom to a lifeless wasteland. Then he sank into the lava, came into contact with... something, and became the being nicknamed "Ichorous Earth". Shaded Woods *Lion Clan Warrior: The Lion Clan are an offshoot race that have no ties to humans, and would murder anyone with the curious notion of approaching them.The lion clansman seem to despise their own looks, as they hate being seen. An axe that does Curse, no less! They are anthropomorphic lions. While they do not look particularly horrible compared to other creatures encountered, they despise their own looks. They take this to the point that they hate being seen so much that they'll kill anyone who does see them on sight. As stated by the axes they drop, the Lion Clan are much more intelligent than they appear. They even have their own gods, according to the description of the shields they carry. *Lion Chieftain: A species of anthropomorphic lions whose sudden appearance on the stage of history suggests that they are not of natural origin. They despise other races and will arbitrarily slaughter those not of their clan. *Goblins are cannibalistic fiends who attack travelers in the forest. Their form does not seem to be the result of natural evolution, but outsider interference. Who would twist a man into such a form, and for what purpose? Swing around some kind of curled up, mummified corpse as a club. Technically counts, since they are former humans seen chowing down on corpses. For starters, they are much larger than the average goblin. They act similar to the Infested Ghouls, even sharing the same sounds. *A peculiar species of reptile which has developed a number of ingenious adaptations for self-defense.The large bulbous eyes on their heads are in fact fake and act as deterrents to would-be predators; Basilisks are also capable of spraying a petrifying mist which has earned them their well-deserved name. Just like their last appearance, Basilisks can breathe noxious gases on the player. However, their breath inflicts petrification instead of Curse. There's a variant of Basilisk found only in Brightstone Cove Tseldora that lack the giant fake eyes the rest of their brethren have. They tend to ambush the player by burrowing out of the dirt. Another variant that appears very rarely in the game is the Giant Basilisk, which is much more resilient and hits harder than their smaller brethren. *Once Vendrick realized the war had become an existential one, he began to hire mercenaries from across the realm, in hopes of tipping the odds in his favor. Of these mercenaries was a unit of the infamously ferocious Volgen Falconers, who act as Volgen's unofficial army. The war ended long ago, but they have gone hollow, still patrolling the shaded woods. Unlike the timid and emotional people of Volgen, the Falconers are brutally efficient and are hinted to get up to extremely unsavory activities when not on payroll. *Scorpioness Najka. The wife of Manscorpion Tark, a fragile soul created long ago by an ancient being in the throes of madness. Najka herself has succumbed to the very affliction which felled her master and has devolved into a ferocious beast, a threat to all living things. In the same vein as two known daughters of Chaos, she has the upper body of a woman, but the lower half is that of a massive scorpion. Unlike the Sisters, though, her scorpion half is actually her own lower body. She has two poison-coated tails that she can use to either sweep you around or impale you with them, inflicting serious damage and instant toxic status in the process. Was originally capable of living in peace with her husband, but as time went on her condition drove her mad. Is a woman fused to a massive two-tailed scorpion with a shell hard enough to resist most physical attacks. Manscorpion Tark indicates that she was human just like him. Going by his dialogue and her soul description, they both may have been created by Seath the Scaleless. Doors of Pharros *Gyrm are a stocky, powerful race which once dwelt aboveground, they were regarded as inferior by humans and unjustly exiled below. They are amicable by nature but harbor an intense distrust of surface dwellers, particularly humans; in additions many of the Gyrm living in the Doors of Pharros have gone Hollow and become threats to the living. The Gyrm are Dark Souls' equivalent to dwarves: short, stocky & very strong beings who enjoy drinking out of tankards, are bearded, live underground, and wield axes & hammers... but, despite being stockily built, they're about as tall as a human (in fact, they're much larger than an average human), their living underground wasn't by choice (they were forced underground by humans motivated by Fantastic Racism), they're not interested in mining, and they weren't proficient at engineering (their equipment is described as being very crude, albeit very tough). Because of their aforementioned getting forced underground, they despise humans; only one Gyrm will even speak to you (and he's not lingustically proficient), while the rest will attack you on sight. *Gyrm Warriors of the Gyrm race clad in heavy armor customized for their stout frames. These sturdy opponents can deal massive damage with their improvised Great Hammers while deflecting nearly any blow with the monstrous stone Greatshields they carry. Some have developed proficiency in ranged combat and will throw enormous Greataxes at enemies with frightening accuracy. *Primal Knight, this ragged creature went Hollow long ago and now wanders mindlessly with its equipment in tatters from long years of neglect. First created through a dark and forbidden ritual in ages past, the Primal Knights are artificial creatures contrived by a twisted and power-hungry mind. Their susceptibility to the Undead Curse, a trait they share with humans, raises foreboding questions about the rituals through which they were given life. Or rather, Artificial Mastodon-Men brought about by ancient forbidden rituals. King's Passage & Drangleic Castle *Syan Knights: Out of Vendrick's Four Knights, only one actually fell in battle with the Giants. That knight was Sir Syan, said to be even more loyal than Veldstadt. Vendrick commissioned countless replicas of the armour worn by Syan to be handed out to his royal guard. No sooner had they put it on did they go irreversibly mad. The strongest of all the Drangleic foot soldiers. In Scholar of The First Sin, not only can they be found in Drangleic Castle, but some also replace the Heide Knights, being optional but powerful enemies scattered throughout the world. They wield the massive Tower Shield that lets them block most frontal attacks. Syan himself was to be commissioned a Greatshield called the Greatshield of Glory, but he met his demise before the shield was completed. *Stone Soldier: When Vendrick left, the knights in the service of Veldstadt at Drangleic castle promised to stand guard until he came back. That was untold years ago, but their devotion never faltered. Indeed, they have been waiting for so long many have turned to stone. Turned to stone from the passage of time. When you get close, however, the stone on their joints loosens and they "unfreeze", allowing them to move and attack. They have been waiting for centuries. *Stone Spearman: The kings royal guardsman, who stand as the last line of defence for the Kings Passage. Much like the other knights of Veldstadt, they have turned to stone from the passage of untold years. Horses. Their helmets are shaped like them. *Looking Glass Knight: One of King Vendrick's four main knights, and his lieutenant. The Looking Glass Knight is charged with testing the prowess of those who seek to serve in Drangleic's order of royal knights. Ever dedicated to his duty, he continues to await challengers at the end of the King's Passage long after Vendrick's disappearance and the kingdom's subsequent collapse. Wielding powerful miracles and a mysterious shield that connects to other worlds, those who fail the test are remorselessly slaughtered by this enigmatic knight whose face lies hidden behind a cold metal mask. Shrine of Amana *Archdrake Pilgrims: Undead Lindelt clerics of the mysterious Archdrake sect. Their homeland is subject to strict laws and emigration is a common means of escaping the authoritarian rule; a number of the defectors have found their way to Drangleic in an attempt to start new lives, but some have since gone Hollow and become a threat to the living. *Priestess of Amana: Hollowed priestesses formerly responsible for performing the sealing rituals which imprisoned the Demon of Song. Over time the line of shrine maidens gradually died off and, with no successors to pass down the sacred rites, the seal broke and Demon was freed from its prison. *Amana Aberration: A Hollow that lived in an aquatic environment for an extended period of time and eventually adapted to its surroundings by mutating into its present form. These creatures prowl the shallow waters of the Shrine of Amana, perpetually searching for sources of fresh Souls. They're pacified by the Milfanito's song. Rousing them by getting close to them will cause them to attack you. *Hollow Pyromancer: Undead pyromancers clad in tattered cloth robes who guard the small shrine past the Demon of Song's arena. Exclusive to Scholar of the First Sin. *Demon of Song: A hideous frog-like Demon originally sealed within the Shrine of Amana. When the priestesses attending the Shrine and maintaining the seal eventually either died or went Hollow, the Demon was set free, luring unsuspecting humans into its lair by mimicking the song of the Milfanito. The Demon of Song lures prey using the song of the Milfanito, who you sporadically encounter throughout the level. Then, when you reach it, you discover the reason it sings is because it's an enormous lake monster, and that's how it lures in its prey to devour them. The prey being you. Has a skull-like face and two long skeletal arms inside its mouth. Its outer shell is impervious to damage, forcing you to wait until its face comes out of the frog's mouth to inflict any kind of damage. It is capable of perfectly mimicking the song of the Milfanito, despite looking like a skull-faced frog monster. Undead Crypt *Insolent Knights: A band of clerical warriors who sought to conquer the Undead Crypt. For their transgression, their deaths were postponed by the Fenito, and they will only know rest once they serve as crypt guardians for an unknown, but presumably very long, period. They went up against the Fenito, the successors of Gravelord Nito who are essentially the Grim Reapers of the Dark Souls world. It ended predictably. The Crypt, from what we can tell, wasn't all that dangerous to the outside world. The Insolent Knight's still thought it had to be destroyed. For bonus points they even look the part. *Imperious Knights: Proud Knights that attempted to conquer the Undead Crypt. For this act of conceit they will never rest in peace and instead serve as crypt guardians. They bore no weapons, only a shield split into left and right halves, which they used to playfully crush their foes until their corpses were kneaded beyond recognition. Their great sin, for which they are cursed to forever guard the Undead Crypt. *Leydia Witch: Witches who worship the god of disease, Galib. They once resided in the Undead Crypt alongside the Fenito but over time grew conceited, misusing their power and usurping control of the Crypt's gateway. Their actions spurned the Grave Wardens and they were slaughtered as transgressors; their spirits now forcibly serve as guardians of the Crypt. Attempted and ultimately failed, resulting in their damned spirits being forced to serve the Grave Wardens they betrayed in their duties as sentinels of the dead. They wield Hexes, Sorceries, and Miracles with equal skill, owing to their unique staves. *Leydia Pyromancer: A ghostly spellcaster of the Leydia Pyromancers. Although pyromancers in name, they were adept at a wide variety of magic and in their conceit they once occupied the Undead Crypt. Their brazen misuse of death drew the ire of the Fenito, who branded them transgressors; the apostles were slaughtered and subsequently buried in the Crypt alongside other occupants. They can be summoned from statues should someone ring a nearby bell (a Hollow prisoner will usually do it). Given how close the statues are to each other, you can easily find yourself surrounded by them once the bell has rung. *Grave Warden: Grave Wardens are charged with watching over the Undead Crypt. They are soaked and permeated with the power of darkness, and they will use that power to fulfill their duty as guardians of the crypt.Be you brave knight or depraved slave, those who disturb the Crypt will be hunted down. Only… why are these Wardens so far from the Crypt they are sworn to protect? *Velstadt, the Royal Aegis: A trusted knight who faithfully served King Vendrick in life, Velstadt went for the Undead Crypt on Vendrick's orders and remained there with the Fenito and a contingent of royal guards, standing watch over the crypt to this very day and inexplicably slaughtering any who enter. Staying for so long in the Undead Crypt with nothing but Hollows (including his fellow knights and Vendrick himself) has tainted him. He can buff himself with dark power and cast hexes. It's subtle, but where Velstadt sits there is a very clear circle of light, as if his very presence was acting as a shield against the dark. Aldia's Keep *Dragon Acolyte: Researchers found in the halls of the keep, wearing tattered white robes & strange warped orb hoods. They conduct experiments within the halls, abducting & caging creatures for research purposes. Their Bone Shields, which resemble the top half of dragon skulls. They have high Dark resistance. Abducting creatures and people, conducting experiments on them, turning them into horrifying abominations - all for the sake of finding a cure to the Undead Curse. *Guardian Dragon: A dragon kept in an enormous cage behind Aldia's Keep. It presently acts as the de facto guardian of the path to the Dragon Aerie, but more than likely began as an unwilling participant in the experiments conducted at the Manor. They're not actual Ancient Dragons, but rather wyverns, who are their lesser spawns (the one atop the Dragon Shrine is the only true dragon in that regard). They only have one pair of legs as opposed to the Ancient Dragon's two, and closely resemble the Hellkite Dragon. Dragon Shrine *Drakekeeper: Towering warriors of the dragon shrine, wielding weapons larger than any human. All travellers who arrive at the shrine must face them in single combat to earn an audience with the ancient dragon. After all, the path of the dragon is about strength and honour. As expected of Dragon Remnant members. Well, Duel Mini Boss, at least in Scholar Of the First Sin. They expect honour. If you act dishonourably (Trying to kite them with bows outside the duel area, trying to bring phantom pals along for the fight instead of facing them one on one, trying to run past them and skip the fight) the entire temple dogpiles you for your cowardice. Running away when near death, as detailed above, is not something they approve of. They are testing to see if you are one. If you prove you indeed are, and defeat them in a clean fight, the rest of the shrine lets you pass without a fight. *Dragon Knight: The Dragon Remnant covenant has flourished in Drangleic's chaotic state, and many of the members stand guard at the shrine to ensure the weak or dishonourable never get to meet their draconic deity. Hit hard and hit fast. Deny the Drakekeepers their duels, and the dragon knights will absolutely swarm you. *Ancient Dragon: A dragon so old it was alive before the dawn of time. Its power has grown to godlike proportions and it resides in the Dragon Shrine as a deity; the few Undead who survive their journeys long enough to meet it seek its counsel in their quest for a cure. The Ancient Dragon willingly obliges its supplicants and harbours no ill intent toward visitors who show proper respect, but provoking its wrath will result in swift and unimaginably fierce retribution. While it communicates telepathically with you, the gibberish whisper used is certainly reminiscent of it. The Ancient Dragon first appears as an ally, giving you an item required to progress the game. But if you attack it, you can fight one of the toughest bosses in the game. It also drops a Giant's Soul, one of five required to weaken King Vendrick. While it has many physical attacks when it feels you're too close to it, the Ancient Dragon mostly relies on its extremely powerful fire breath, which usually kills you in one hit if you're not conscious about stacking fire resistance. It's entire speech comes off as this, but it can basically be translated as it remarking on yet another Undead wandering in search of answers leading towards the Throne of Want. It's easily inferred by it's words that so many have tried, it doesn't believe at all that you'll succeed, but at the same time pities you because you pretty much have no choice in the matter. Maybe not true dragons, but if the Aerie is any indication, the Ancient Dragon intends to restore its numbers. It's the largest dragon you'll ever find, and it presides over the entirety of the Dragon Aerie, as well as the rest of the Guardian Dragons found there. A classic Western Dragon, and the only real dragon in Dark Souls II. The rest, like the Guardian Dragon, are wyverns that are the lesser spawn of the Ancient Dragons. Dialogue with Nashandra and Shalquoir imply that this Ancient Dragon is actually a fake, seemingly reinforced by the fact that you get the Ancient Dragon Soul from the memory of the dragon corpse in the Duke's Dear Freja boss room while this dragon instead drops a Soul of a Giant. It's revealed in the Aerie that the Emerald Herald was raised by the Ancient Dragon, and the wyverns of the Dragon Aerie. Possibly part of why she's been helping you kill King Vendrick, and every other member of the human kingdom that remains. What it has been elevated to according to the lore, and it's by far the most powerful being you will ever encounter in Dark Souls II. It even has an unnecessarily massive shrine erected in its honour! It's stated that it has attained godlike power due to living for so long. The other dragons you meet in the game are nothing but whelps, and consequently pale in comparison to the Ancient Dragon. Memory of Giants *Giant Footsoldier: The strange, tree like humanoids who came across the sea to conquer Drangleic. Their sheer might was matched only by their incredible numbers, and Drangleic soon found itself in a vicious fight for survival. While their genocidal actions are deplorable, their war against Drangleic was, at least in motive, entirely just. King Vendrick was, at the behest of Nashaandra, enslaving and experimenting on Giants. They only invaded Drangleic to free their brethren and put a stop the slave trade. It wasn't enough to kill the leaders of Drangleic. Judging by the state of the kingdom, they killed every human being they came across, and likely wouldn't have stopped until none were left. Wherever a giant dies, trees and vegetation begin to grow. The worst battlefield of the war has become a massive, verdant forest (fittingly called the Forest of Fallen Giants ) in the years following. This is how the Drangleic nobility framed up the war with the giants. In true series fashion, however, it is more complex than that. The pyromancer and poison variants wear hooded robes. The pyromancer variant will hurl large fireballs that not only do a lot of damage, but also have a pretty large area of effect. *Elite Giant: The champions of the giant army, the Elite Giants are much stronger and formidable than the soldiers they command. Like the rest of its kind, the war against Drangleic was a retaliation against all the horrible deeds Vendrick and his army did to them. The two remaining Giants in the present (aside from the Last Giant)are two Elites hidden in Black Gulch *Giant Lord: The King of Giants who led the Giant's invasion of Drangleic, and tried to slay King Vendrick. His army laid waste to all of Drangleic, and left the Kingdom in ruins. The Giants were slain (near) to the last, their mighty Lord included. It is said that Vendrick hurt him in the past, and either the crime was abominable or the Giants are spiteful, for even after centuries had passed he could never forgive the King of Drangleic. For an endgame boss with boss-tier resistances, he's extremely weak to dark magic and dark-infused weapons. As shown by his boss fight as the Last Giant, the Bearer of the Curse has become his most hated nemesis after the war. He led his species on an apocalyptic war against Drangleic, and Captain Drummond mutters that he's the toughest cookie he's ever seen. Twofold. His demise ultimately paved the way for Drangleic's victory over the Giants soon after, and it's highly implied you were the one who killed him. Then, defeating him in the game proper also yields you the one thing that can command the Throne of Want and acknowledge you as the ruler of the kingdom. Wears one on his head along with a pimped out gold collar, although it's barely noticeable due to his size and the fact that he has a hole for a face. One interpretation of the Giant Lord. According to information in the game, the Queen came from a land across the sea conquered by the giants, and warned Vendrick of their desire to cross the sea and invade. Instead, Vendrick attacked the Giants, and caused some level of damage in order to free the human lands they'd taken. It's mentioned the humans tried to reconcile with the Giants, but that Giants didn't understand forgiveness; as a result, the Giant Lord invaded Drangleic and began their apocalyptic war. The other interpretation was, of course, that Nashandra lied, Vendrick's attack was entirely unprovoked, and the Giants are merely taking their just revenge. Especially since, due to changed item lore bought about by the Scholar of the Last Sin patch, it's revealed that Vendirck actually enslaved some of these giants after he attacked them initially. He's taller than the rest of his species, a feat that is only rivaled by the Last Giant. That's because, as revealed by Scholar of the First Sin, he IS the Last Giant. He's also noticeably more lanky than the lesser giants. Another interpretation of him. It's stated that Vendrick, thanks to being manipulated by Nashandra, was the one who attacked the Giants, stealing a "great power" which, according to changed lore, involved giants enslaved by Vendrick, from them and that the Giant Lord simply attacked Drangleic to take back what was once belonging to his people. Dark Chasm of Old *Abyss Ironclad: One of many travelers of the Dark Chasm of Old, identity unknown. This Dark Spirit takes the form of an Ironclad with twin Great Hammers which it uses with a rare and frighteningly powerful Dual Wield stance. *Pretender to the Xanthous Throne: A traveler of the Dark Chasm of Old, this Dark Spirit casts an unmistakable shadow and attacks with an array of deadly pyromancy. Still, they are, as their nickname would imply, a faker. Dark Souls 3 reveals "Xanthous" to be the term for scholars of the lost magic of Oolacile. It actually references the Pretender, saying "Scholars were called xanthous scholars, but some foolishly imitate them by simply dressing in yellow." *Tenebrous Rogue: One of many pilgrims wandering the Dark Chasm of Old, this unidentified Dark Spirit wields a Bandit's Knife and Mytha's Bent Blade; a tattered hood conceals its malevolent face. Who are these nameless explorers of the Dark, and what do they hope to gain when their pilgrimages reach an end? *Underworld Deadeye: An explorer of the Dark whose visage lies concealed by the monocle of Durgo's Hat. Whether this is in fact the legendary archer himself is uncertain - after all, what could so noble a hero hope to gain from lurking in the dark depths? *Shadowveil Assassin: Yet another of the pilgrims traversing the Dark Chasm, its face is obscured beneath a shadowy hood. Its wicked and murderous armaments raise many questions about the intentions, and the sanity, of those who walk the Dark. *The Ghost of Princes Past: Though at first glance the netherworld traveller might appear nondescript and mundane, its lightning-fast sword technique tells a different story. Who is this nimble warrior of shadow and from whom did learn this deadly art? The mysteries of the Dark Chasm are as numerous as the murderous eyes glinting from its shadowy corners. Wields Ricard's Rapier and will usually land several hits with it in quick succession. It's unknown if it's really Undead Prince Ricard himself, or an apparition forged from the memories encrusted within the Dark Chasm of Old. He has infinite stamina and almost infinite poise, allowing him to bounce his Dragon's Tooth off your shield over and over again without suffering any recoil whatsoever until he breaks your guard (and there's not a lot of room to dodge roll where you fight him), while being almost impossible to counter attack. And he's the first opponent you have to face in the Chasm (assuming you start from the Drangleic Castle portal). *Darklurker: An enigmatic being that lurks in the heart of the Dark Chasm of Old. With the form of an angel of light and wielding mastery over pyromancy, magic, and dark powers, this strange creature defies explanation. What are the origins of this angel of the dark and of its lair? Perhaps some things are better left unilluminated. It's cripplingly weak to fire. the Dark Chasm of Old is implied to have been made from the remains of Manus, Father of the Abyss. Dark Souls III might give us a clue as to what this thing is, or at least what its purpose is in the lore. The Winged Knights of Lothric worship Holy Mother Gertrude, who was said to have been contacted by an angel and founded the angelic faith of Lothric based on its teachings. The one miracle divined by the angelic faith, Divine Pillars of Light, manifests itself as several beams of pure light not unlike the ones that Darklurker occasionally throws at you. Thus, it can be reasonably assumed that Darklurker or a being like it was what contacted Gertrude and started the angelic faith. The Ringed City DLC for Dark Souls III offers yet another possible clue to the Darklurker's origins. Creatures resembling angels like the Darklurker are revealed to be born of the Pilgrims of Londor who have finally perished, leaving wriggling larva-like creatures erupting from their backs while an Angel floats around nearby. The Darklurker may then be an angel born from the dark but 'perfected' by the concentrated dark of the abyss. Has a human shaped body, but just from its massive firepower, name and location, it's evidently something vastly different. Its power set and item drops also don't make sense given the lore of the series thus far; it is a creature that resides in what is clearly the Abyss and it channels the power of the Abyss into powerful Sorceries and Pyromanices (none of which are hexes, mind you), yet the soul it drops is a light soul completely untainted by the Dark. Whatever this thing is, it is clear that it should not exist within the lore, making it even more incomprehensible. It can temporarily cloak itself and drift away from one place to another, although you can still lock onto it. Considering that the Pilgrims of Dark Covenant awards you with a hex-empowering ring when you join, the covenant leader sells more hexes than anything else, and you gain progressively more powerful hexes as you rank up, this is clearly a covenant meant for those intending to specialize in dark magic. To that end, quite a few players have taken Darklurker's massive dark resistance as a metaphorical slap to the face, though there is some comfort to be found in the fact that hexes' stat requirements also make you excellent at using miracles and pyromancy - the Darklurker is exceedingly weak to both fire and lightning. It has four arms, with a pair constantly folded around its chest while the other pair does all the spellcasting. It's falsely angelic, casts hellishly powerful magic against anyone who encounters it, lives in an Eldritch Location, and is called the Darklurker. Throne of Want *Throne Watcher & Throne Defender: Given the job of guarding the throne and ensuring no one else sat on it, respectively, these two did so even when Vendrick turned Hollow and left for the Undead Crypt. They eventually turned Hollow themselves, but have still fulfilled their duty to the last. The Defender and Watcher, respectively. The Defender doesn't have any flashy moves except raw strength and resilience, whereas the Watcher will often do back flips during the fight. Inverted. In the untranslated, Japanese version of the game, the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender are referred to with genderless pronouns. It's fairly obvious that the Watcher is intended to be a woman. The Watcher, who is notably the only left-handed humanoid boss in the vanilla game. A long time has passed since King Vendrick left the castle, leaving the Watcher and Defender to keep an eye on the Throne of Want. Unfortunately for them, both fell victim to the Undead Curse, and are Hollow by the time you fight them. Even as Hollows they defend the Throne of Want as per their king's orders. *Queen Nashandra: The wife of King Vendrick, Nashandra persuaded him to declare war on the Giants and has remained isolated from the outside world as Drangleic fell into desolation and ruin. However, there is something sinister about her, something reminiscent of an ancient avatar of darkness once thought vanquished long ago in an ancient kingdom in a distant land. She's surprisingly polite to the player character, even when the final boss fight rolls around. She sought the power of the Throne of Want specifically because she was the smallest piece of Manus' soul and yearned to undo her fragile state at any cost. Nashandra is responsible for the fall of Drangleic, her husband's insanity, and she is a "Child of Dark" - a shard of the soul of Manus, the Greater-Scope Villain of the Dark Souls universe. The player first meets her when she's in her human disguise, and she's very courteous. It also seems that she had most of Drangleic fooled, seeing as very few people are aware that she was the true architect behind Vendrick's war on the Giants. It's pretty clear that Nashandra came to Drangleic intending to woo the King, and then set Vendrick up to die fighting against the Giants. The first time you meet her, she even tells YOU that there's no room on the throne for more than one ruler, and tries to convince you to kill Vendrick and take the throne. When you finally meet the guy though (or what's left of him), it becomes pretty clear who's really in control. Manipulated Vendrick and seeks to do the same to the Undead Hero. Her true form appears to be part skeleton, or at least very, very dead. The writhing mass of skeletons making up her "dress" also adds to the feeling. The description of her soul and the items made from it reveal she is only the smallest piece of Manus' soul, and seeks to become whole again. An elegant queen in white who maintains her polite manner even when revealing her true self. She's also a master of dark magic, firing powerful beams of dark energy during her boss fight. It's doubtful the war would have happened without Nashandra whispering in Vendrick's ear. Manipulated Vendrick into causing his kingdom's downfall, and deliberately waits for your breakthrough in the Throne of Want in order to claim it for herself. The most defining example in a game ripe with these, as she is stated to be the tiniest shard of Manus' shattered soul, and similarly wishes to plunge Drangleic into the Dark. *Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin: King Vendrick's elder brother. Like the king, he sought to find the secret of breaking the Undead curse, but he had a much different vision on how it could possibly be attained. Makes his formal appearance in Scholar of the First Sin as the titular character. Having failed (or perhaps succeeded) in his quest to attain immortality, Aldia watches over the events of the game and appears before the Bearer of the Curse throughout the latter's journey, questioning the meaning of their struggle. The Ringed City seems to offer an explanation of the Sin, namely that humanity's natural affinity to the dark was suppressed by the seal of fire Gwyn placed upon them because he was afraid of the darkness, leading to the birth of the Darksign, the Undead Curse, and the Abyss becoming the unholy pit it's known as today. No wonder Aldia would be furious upon learning that mankind's birthright was stolen from them since the very beginning. Once, the Lord of Light banished Dark, and all that stemmed from humanity. And men assumed a fleeting form. These are the roots of our world. Men are props on the stage of life, and no matter how tender, how exquisite, A lie will remain a lie. Given that he drops no souls nor his own Soul upon his "death", keeps on speaking to the player despite being gone and his research was dedicated to understanding the Giants' immortality, it could be that he succeeded in that regard despite his current form. Aside from his fire, his main method of attack is to create massive tree roots to attack the player. Aldia sought freedom from the curse, but as the Emerald Herald says, "the soul and the curse are one and the same." He found freedom, but now he is reduced to something inhuman, unknowable. As if to prove this, you gain no item or souls when you defeat Aldia, and he continues to speak to you as if perfectly fine. His keep is littered with the equipment and results of his many experiments. As well as a few still-living specimens. Many of the items that make a reference to him also tie him with the terrible deeds that were performed in his mansion, and Vendrick also ended up confining him there for good measure. Possibly for Prince Lothric. All the evidence for this is circumstantial; the Soul Stream sorcery only mentions that Lothric's private mentor was "The first of the Scholars" who "Doubted the Linking of the Fire", though Lothric's actions in Dark Souls 3 are very much in line with Aldia's goal of ending the Linking of the Fire. The Ringed City reveals that Aldia was indeed correct in that the 'First Sin' was responsible for starting the Undead Curse, and that it was Gwyn that perpetrated it upon Humanity. However, the First Sin was not Gwyn's linking of the first flame, but rather his placing the 'Seal of Fire' on ancient humans, which would in turn become the Darksign, stripping humans of their natural affinity for Darkness and dooming them to be kindling for the Age of Fire. He actually succeeded in freeing himself from the curse and the cycle of Light and Dark. But the curse and the soul are one and the same. Aldia is now an immortal and soulless twisted thing. To highlight this, Aldia drops no souls upon defeat. Some of the creatures he experimented on were simply cast away after he was done with them, like the Ant Queen you find in the Gutter. Red Phantom Invaders *Vorgel the Sinner: In a prison filled with sinners and innocents alike, Vorgel certainly has a special place. He stands watch over the Bastille Key. He wears the armor and dons the shield of a hollowed Royal Soldier; perhaps he is one of the wardens of this lost prison? What sins rest in this warrior's den? *Merciless Roenna: Roenna wears a helm associated with the warlocks of Aldia. Could the unnatural condition of the Huntsman's Copse be related to the experiments of the Aldian mages, or is it mere coincidence? Her mask gives her head the appearance of a tentacled beast of sorts. *Rhoy the Explorer: A legendary explorer from ages past. While he has a resting place within the Shrine of Amana, he appears within the Grave of Saints as a naked weakling. *Melinda the Butcher: Wherever the lost and wretched gather, those who prey upon them are never far away. So it always has been, and so it is in The Gutter, a settlement of filth and pestilence where the endless struggle to survive has driven its darker souls to seek sustenance through the consumption of human flesh. Beware, lest this cannibalistic legacy claim yet another victim. Once you defeat her, she becomes available for the fight against the Ancient Dragon. *Bowman Guthry: A Dark Spirit with a most unusual choice of armaments, Guthry will invade in the Doors of Pharros after entering into the Rat King's territory. Clad in the armor of a Royal Swordsman, could she be a remnant of the Drangleic Army unit dispatched to Brightstone Cove Tseldora? Guthry wields two Avelyn crossbows that she can shoot in succession. This becomes problematic in the flooded lower area of the Doors of Pharros, allowing her to shoot at you with impunity while your mobility is reduced. Her armour implies that she's part of the Drangleic Army unit stationed in the area following the Doors of Pharros. Considering the state you find the army camp in. *Peculiar Kindular: A strange man of unknown origins who appears a short distance past Rhoy's Resting Place in the Shrine of Amana. While his name and appearance suggest an eclectic character, his talent with magic is unquestionable and he will attack with a diverse arsenal of dangerous spells. *Aslatiel of Mirrah: Elder brother of Lucatiel of Mirrah. He was known as one of Mirrah's greatest swordsmen, but became afflicted by the Undead Curse and set out for Drangleic in search of a cure. He was never heard from again and his fate and whereabouts were unknown - until now. Lucatiel admired him for his swordsmanship, which was reputed for being one of the best in all of Mirrah. The Old Mirrah Greatsword he wields, where inscribed on the blade is a promise he made to Lucatiel. He fell to the curse while searching for a cure or Lucatiel. Then he invades you in Aldia's Keep, still thinking he can accomplish his quest. *Dragonfang Villard: A Dragon Knight charged with protecting the Petrified Egg stored in the Dragon Shrine. He is the strongest of the apostles residing in the shrine and appears after entering the spiral staircase behind the first Warpick-wielding Drakekeeper. His Black Dragon Greatsword, which is said to be one of many weapons forged from Black Dragon Kalameet's tail. Like all Dragon Knights, his armour is grafted onto his skin, giving him the appearance of an anthropomorphic dragon. His Black Dragon Shield, this time said to be forged from a talon of Black Dragon Kalameet. *Armorer Dennis: A new and very deadly invader, introduced in the Scholar of the First Sin edition. He invades you near the Soldiers’ Rest bonfire in the Forest of Fallen Giants and once again in the Iron Keep, this time a little ahead of the Threshold Bridge bonfire. His overall appearance, thanks to the Northwarder Hood, Black Robe and Boots that he wears. His Blue Flame, which is not just a sword, but also a sorcery catalyst! *Fencer Sharron: Another new and deadly invader, introduced in the Scholar of the First Sin edition. She invades you in the Iron Keep - after you open the door ahead of the Threshold Bridge bonfire - and again in the Dragon Aerie, just a few bridges away from the first bonfire there. Thanks to her Sanctum Priestess' Tiara, Sharron is immune to the effects of the Profound Still hex... not that it actually does her any good, since she's purely a melee fighter. Like Dennis, she will gesture to your corpse should you get killed by her. Her Puzzling Stone Sword, which allows her to attack you from ranges you'd normally think you're safe from. *Oliver the Collector: An eclectic invader whose defining traits are the Minotaur Helm that he wears and the variety of weapons that he carries on his person, introduced in the Scholar of the First Sin edition. He invades you in the Iron Keep, just a little ahead of where the metal chest Mimic used to be. His Minotaur Helm gives off this impression of him as an enraged humanoid bull coming to get you. Considering the environment that he invades in, it seems fitting. Oliver will keep changing his weapons to keep you on your toes as well as make it hard for you to predict what moves he will do next, seeing that his repertoire of weapons on hand is something that shouldn't be scoffed at. That Minotaur Helm of his, which you can actually get from him as a rare drop. From a lore perspective, the fact that he can easily wield the Majestic Greatsword and the Smelter Hammer in his left hand makes him one of the strongest beings in the setting. Like Fencer Sharron, he's also got a Puzzling Stone Sword, the blade of which can separate itself into small pieces in a whip-like manoeuvre to attack you from a distance. *Gutter Denizen: An invader wearing the Black Witch set with the Veil and wielding the Black Witch's Staff prowling the depths of the Gutter, introduced in Scholar of the First Sin edition. He invades you only after you've lit all the sconces in the area. He only attacks with his sorceries as well as the occasional bash from his staff, which means should you afflict him with the effects of the Profound Still hex, he'll become easy pickings. Additionally, wielding a Magic-infused Rebel's Greatshield or a Magic Shield against him can render most if not all of his attacks relatively harmless. This invader is only known by his title due to self-explanatory reasons. *Woodland Children Gully & Victor: Invaders residing in the Black Gulch, introduced in Scholar of the First Sin edition. They invade you in the passage leading to the Rotten. Gully will spawn in first, then Victor - but he will do so only when you have rested at a bonfire after killing his brother. At stronger bonfire intensities, they will invade you together. Both wield the Giant Stone Axe, forged from the soul of the Last Giant. What their attire and their title suggests. As they’re both wearing the Lion Warrior Helm with the Prisoner set, this could mean that Gully and Victor were raised by Lion Warriors in the Shaded Woods. What are they doing so far from home though is anyone’s guess. *The Forlorn: Born of Aldia's obsession with the First Sin, the Forlorn lost both their corporeal form and a world to call their own. Now they drift into other worlds, ever in search of a home. But without self, one has neither beginning nor end, and so the Forlorn have only to wander. They have no pronounced gender, and their clothing is gender-neutral. They have no face, to further obscure their gender. Born of Aldia's obession with the First Sin, they are left without an beginning or end, wandering around aimlessly by invading other players. The main reason why they can be found wandering aimlessly is because of how they are unable to return back home.